Damaged ‘Saga Sky’ Moved to Port in Dunkirk, France

The Saga Sky colliding with a stone barge off Dover, England, November 20, 2016. Photo credit: RNLI Dover

The damaged cargo ship Saga Sky has been moved into port to undergo repairs after losing power and steering and colliding with a stone barge off Dover, England on Sunday.

The ship sustained damage and was taking on water after it drifted into a rock barge in heavy weather at the Varne Bank approximately three miles southwest of Dover.

The UK Coastguard said it received a distress call from the Saga Sky at around 7:20 a.m. Sunday reporting it had lost power and steering with 23 people on board. As the incident unfolded two UK Coastguard helicopters airlifted eleven non-essential crew and transported them to Dover. The other 12 remained on board to help move the vessel to a safe anchorage off Dungeness with the assistance of a tug.

Photos from the incident can be viewed HERE. 

An update from the ship’s managers on Monday said the Saga Sky had left her anchorage off Dungeness early Monday morning on passage to the port of Dunkirk in France where the vessel would undergo permanent repairs. A Dunkirk pilot had boarded the vessel at about 10:10 a.m. local time to take the ship into port.

“Managers would like to thank the Coast Guard (MCA) for their highly professional response to this incident, particularly the difficult evacuation of non- essential sea-staff at the height of the storm,” the statement said.

The 47,000 dwt Saga Sky is operated by “open hatch” bulk specialist Saga Welco of Norway. The ship was built in 1996 and is 200 meters long.